The present invention relates to filtration apparatus, and more particularly to an improved gasket for sealing a filter element.
Various industrial processes, such as powder coated finishing, produce dust and other pollutants that require filtering. One type of filtration system used to provide control of fine particles is a filter cartridge system in which a plurality of cartridge filters are used to treat large volumes of dust laden air on a continuing basis. One such filter cartridge system is the model TD 6120 manufactured by the Torit Division, Donaldson Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota. This system uses an array of cylindrical filter cartridges containing pleated, non-woven filter media. Dust laden air enters through the inlet of a collector, and heavy particles fall immediately into the bottom of a hopper. As air is drawn in through the filter cartridges, dust is deposited on the outside of the filtering media. The system is capable of handling sub-micron particulate matter, such as that found in powder coated finishing environments.
One problem that has been found with such filter cartridge systems is that the filters have a tendency to leak at the interface between the cartridge and the venturi tube plate to which they are mounted. Conventional gaskets provided to seal the cartridge against the tube plate are not always effective in preventing leakage of particulate matter.
It would be advantageous to provide a gasket that completely seals the area between the cartridge and the tube plate in a filter cartridge system. It would be further advantageous to provide such a gasket that is reusable and easily installed on existing cartridge filter elements without modification.
The present invention provides such a gasket and filter element in combination therewith.